Up to date, there has been a lot of research on fatty acid analogues and their effects on diverse physiological processes impacting normal health and chronic diseases.
For example, dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been shown to regulate plasma lipid levels, cardiovascular and immune functions, insulin action, and neuronal development and visual function.
Tetradecylthioacetic acid (TTA) is a modified fatty acid which has a number of powerful effects demonstrable both in-vivo and in-vitro.
TTA has properties very similar to natural fatty acids, the main difference being that it cannot be oxidised by the mitochondrial β-oxidation, but significantly increases the oxidation of other fatty acids. Despite the fact that TTA is not able to undergo β-oxidation, it is metabolised in most ways as a normal saturated fatty acid.

TTA affects oxidative status at different levels by having the potential of changing the antioxidant defence system, in addition to being an antioxidant itself through its free radical scavenging capacity.
Addition of TTA may prevent the oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles in plasma and reduce the generation of lipid peroxides.
Several polyunsaturated fatty acid derivatives with sulfur in 3-position have been prepared (Flock et al, Acta Chemica Scand., 1999, 53, 436). Methyl (all-Z)-3-thia-6,9,12,15-octadecatetraenoate was tested in a Wistar rat model, and the effects were compared to the effects of TTA. The results suggest that both the saturated and the unsaturated fatty acids lowered plasma triglycerides to a similar extent (Willumsen et al, J. Lipid Mediators Cell Signalling, 1997, 17, 115)
It has surprisingly been found that novel fatty acid derivatives represented by the general formula (I) have higher affinities for the receptors PPARα and PPARγ compared to TTA and (all-Z)-3-thia-6,9,12,15-octadecatetraenoic acid. Fatty acid derivatives represented by the general formula (I) also reduced triglyceride, cholesterol and free fatty acids levels in a dyslipidemic mice model to a greater extent than TTA and (all-Z)-3-thia-6,9,12,15-octadecatetraenoic acid.